


Tensions

by Lysmata



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Young Kara and Alex were volatile, sibling argument
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22594363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lysmata/pseuds/Lysmata
Summary: It wasn't long since Kara arrived on Earth, but Alex is already tired of it. With tensions rising, it doesn't take long to them to both reach a breaking point.
Kudos: 3





	1. Breaking Point

Alex Danvers sighed as she walked into the living room to the sight of her new Kryptonian sister once again snacking on a bag of potato chips. It had already been months since Kara had arrived to join the Danvers family and in that time, Alex had noticed a severe decline in the amount of junk food that sat untouched in the house. In fact, it all seemed to disappear just days after they were purchased. There was no doubt in Alex's mind that the cute, blonde alien was the one responsible.

The girl was tiny and Alex was initially amazed at the amount that the alien could eat in just one sitting. By now, though, the amazement had died down and been replaced only by a deep sense of jealousy and annoyance. Kara could eat anything and everything without worrying about any sort of illness, health problems, or weight gain. _And she abuses that right,_ Alex told herself firmly. _So I shouldn't feel bad for taking things from her because they shouldn't be hers in the first place._

She crossed her arms as she stepped in front of the snacking Kryptonian. It took a concentrated effort to ignore the urge to rip the bag away from the girl who had dropped uninvited into her life. There was no doubt her mother and father would be disappointed if it happened and Alex still had the sliver of self-control not to make such a poor decision. Besides that, she had seen the strength that was hidden under the girl's bubbly exterior. _And I have no intention to be kicked into the next week,_ she thought with dark humor.

Kara looked up and smiled innocently. "Oh hi Alex," she said in her typical cheerful way, seeming not to notice the deep frown on her older sister. Despite the interruption, she continued snacking on the chips as she turned her attention back to the TV, as if nothing were wrong.

But things were very, very wrong indeed. Alex forced her growing anger down and looked pointedly at the bag.

"Can you please share the chips?" she all but forced out, emphasizing each word. Kara's smile faltered slightly as she paused her eating and Alex felt a thrill of accomplishment. The blonde Kryptonian seemed to be on the verge of giving up the snack, but then the smile returned and a new wave of anger washed over Alex.

"There's another bag in the kitchen," Kara said as she resumed her eating. "It's your favorite flavor and—"

"And there's no more of it because you ate it all," Alex interrupted angrily. "Just like everything else in the house."

Kara looked down at the bag of chips in her hand. "Oh." To Alex's surprise, the blonde Kryptonian held out the bag after a couple seconds of consideration. "Sorry."

Kara seemed so crestfallen that Alex felt a pang of guilt as she took the bag from her. _Maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on her,_ she thought. _After all, she hasn't fully gotten control of her powers and abilities yet._ The bag seemed lighter than it should have and when her fingers delved into the depths she found it was barely a quarter full. She sighed in disappointment before shrugging mentally in acceptance of her fate. _At least she tried,_ Alex thought. _Maybe next time I'll get a bigger portion._

"Thanks Kara," Alex said. She noticed her sister's expression had regained its former cheer, despite losing the bag of chips. Smiling inwardly, she dismissed it as just another aspect of the Kryptonian's personality.

"You're welcome," Alex heard Kara say as she turned away to leave the blonde with the TV, still suspiciously happy about something. Just before she left the room, Alex heard the unmistakable sound of a bag of chips rustling from where her sister was sitting. Alex whipped back around, immediately spotting the perfectly new bag of chips that was now in Kara's hands.

It only took a split second before Alex was standing before her sister once more, clenching her fists tightly and crushing the contents of the quarter-full chip bag in her right hand to a powder.

"What the hell, Kara?" Alex shouted as her anger boiled over and she lost the thin hold over her emotions.

Kara looked up at her sister, sheer terror in her eyes. Alex felt a pang of guilt at the sight of tears forming in the girl's beautiful blue eyes but refused to let it affect her. "This is unbelievable," she continued to rage, raising her voice with each word. "You greedy, lazy, despicable little...ALIEN!" Alex threw herself onto Kara, wrestling for the bag of chips in her hands to yank it away.

"No!" Kara screamed, digging herself deeper into the pillows and curling up. "Alex, stop!" she pleaded as she twisted and squirmed, trying to get free, but Alex grabbed one of the blonde's arms and pinned it behind her as she got one handful of the bag.

"Kara give it to me!" Alex flipped the Kryptonian over and shoved her face into the cushions. "Now!" She yanked hard, trying to use brute force to rip it out of Kara's grasp. The younger girl squirmed and wiggled, desperately trying to get out from under Alex.

"Alex, stop!" Kara whined, her voice muffled. "Please!"

"Not until you give it up," Alex countered. She pulled hard and felt a small rush of success as she saw Kara's grip slowly slipping on the bag. With a grin, she pulled even harder, knowing that she was one step closer to winning the battle. Then the grin disappeared as everything went wrong.

Kara pulled with all her might, using her super strength to regain the ground she had lost. Alex gasped in pain as her arm was wrenched awkwardly by the sheer force of the pull. She gripped tighter as she tried valiantly against Kara's powers, but it was too much.

"No fair, you're not supposed to use your powers!" Alex protested as she fought desperately to keep her hold on the bag of chips. She leaned backwards, trying to use her weight to account for Kara's strength but the alien girl was too strong and Alex knew it was only a matter of time before she lost and Kara claimed the bag for herself.

And then potato chips suddenly exploded throughout the living room as the bag tore with a violent pop. Alex felt a moment of weightlessness with nothing to hold her up before she crashed backwards onto the low coffee table behind her, crying out in pain.

Alex stayed still for a couple of seconds, moaning as she tried to regain her lost breath. She rolled herself off the table and collapsed onto the ground, still gasping in pain. As she pushed herself gingerly to her feet, she noticed the crushed potato chips all over the floor.

_Kara's powers must have blown the bag open,_ Alex thought numbly. Remembering her sister, she turned back to the couch where the younger girl had been.

Kara had stood up from her previous position, staring uncomprehendingly at the remains of the bag in her hands and at the chips that lay scattered throughout the room. Alex watched as her expression changed slowly from confusion to upset to anger, and when Kara finally looked up at her, Alex couldn't recognize her sister. There was only a heartbroken rage that burned in Kara's normally cheerful eyes.

Alex felt a cold stab of fear in her heart as the blonde Kryptonian stalked towards her slowly, radiating only anger and grief. "Kara?" she asked uncertainly, worried.

"How could you?" Kara finally asked in a low, menacing voice as she drew ever closer. "Why? Alex, why?"

Alex stared at her sister in confusion, shocked that the cheerful girl could have turned dark so quickly. Kara gave a slight shove, sending her stumbling back a few steps. "Kara, I'm sorry," she said carefully, still stunned by Kara's change of attitude.

"Sorry?" Kara asked incredulously, raising her voice, "SORRY? Alex, that was an entire bag!"

Alex felt Kara's hands on her shoulders, but they weren't her sister's hands. No, her sister's hands were soft and gentle. These hands were scary and unfamiliar; the hands of a stranger. She shuddered despite herself, trying to wiggle away, but the grip was tight and unrelenting as it slowly dug painfully into her shoulders. "Kara, you're hurting me," she whispered, the shiver of fear seeping into her voice.

And then suddenly, Alex was weightless once again as she felt herself lifted up and thrown backwards. She came back down, crashing painfully on her backside several feet from where she was thrown from. All air whooshed out of her lungs but she still managed a pained cry as she landed on her already-bruised back.

Tears of pain and fear were already springing to her eyes but the most overwhelming feeling was guilt. Scared and ashamed, she turned and sprang to her feet, pounding and limping her way up the stairs and slamming the door to her room closed. Away from the person in the living room who wasn't her sister. It was only then, in the safety of her own room, that she released the failing hold on her emotions and allowed herself to cry both for her and for the alien girl who she loved as a sister. _I ruined everything_ , she berated herself. _Because of me, it's all ruined..._

* * *

Kara watched as Alex darted up the stairs, limping and nearly falling twice. Slowly, the fog of anger and red that clouded her vision cleared and she became aware of the sound of crying from upstairs, using her super hearing. She knew instantly that it was her sister.

In the span of a couple seconds, the events that had just played out minutes ago played out rapidly in Kara's mind and she gasped, falling to her knees. The image of Alex's face, the fear in her eyes, and her pained cry played on a loop over and over as Kara doubled over, holding her head and clenching her eyes shut. _You're a monster,_ she screamed at herself, pulling at her hair. _How could you hurt your own sister?_

Alex's sobs from her room upstairs was loud in Kara's ears and she couldn't concentrate hard enough to make it stop. She began to cry herself, both for her and for Alex. _What a great sister I am,_ she berated herself, _My own sister is afraid of me._

"Kara? What happened? Where's Alex?"

Kara looked up at her adoptive mother Eliza. Through her tears, she could see the worry and confusion etched on the older woman's face. Her heart leapt into her throat as she realized that she would have to explain everything. There was no doubt that she would get in trouble, although that was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was Alex and how much the older girl must hate her now.

"Kara, can you tell me what happened?"

"It's all my fault," Kara finally wailed as she curled up again. "All my fault…" She felt Eliza's gentle hand on her back, patting and rubbing slowly but it brought her little comfort. Kara knew she wouldn't be okay unless Alex was okay. She only hoped that Eliza would understand.

"Kara, it's okay. I just need to know what happened."

Kara nodded, sitting up and wiping her tears with the back of her hands as she stared down at the floor. "I hurt Alex. I hurt her really bad," she said through her hiccuping sobs, "and I need to make things right again."

Dimly, she heard Eliza offering various words of comfort, but Kara was in no mood to accept them. _I will make things right again_ , she thought to herself firmly, _I'm going to show her that I'm good enough to be her sister._


	2. Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Kara try to make peace...

Alex ignored the knocking on the door and instead tried to fall asleep, head buried deep into her pillow. She was in no mood to be talking and the throbbing in her rear and back still had not gone away after the few hours she had stayed locked in her room. Most of all, the storm in her mind had not quieted either and that caused her the most pain. The knocking sounded again, jarring her from the swirling turmoil in her mind.

"Alex, answer me, please," her mother's muffled voice came from the other side of the locked door. "I know you're awake. Don't even try to ignore me."

Alex sighed and lifted her head off from her tear-soaked pillow. "What do you want, Mom?" she asked, irritated at the interruption. "And no, I don't want to talk about it. Not to you and not to **her**."

"It's time for dinner, sweetie," came the reply. Alex knew it was coming and she already had her response prepared.

"I'm not hungry," Alex called back. "Just leave me alone." She buried her head into her pillow again, half-expecting her mother to continue trying to convince her to come out of her room. When there was no response, however, she glanced at the door again. _It couldn't have been that easy, could it?_ She shrugged to herself, settling back down onto her bed. _At least I'm alone now._

* * *

Kara watched as Eliza walked away from Alex's locked door, shaking her head sadly. "I'm sorry," she said. "Maybe she just needs a little more time and space."

Kara nodded numbly. "Thank you for trying," she said. She gave a sad smile as Eliza walked back downstairs. Though she knew that she was the last person Alex would have wanted to talk to, the feelings bottled up within were too much and she couldn't keep them in for much longer.

She walked slowly to the door, trying to gather the courage to knock. Her hands were shaking as she stopped in front of it and she stared down at them. _These are the hands that caused my sister pain_ , she thought as she squeezed them together nervously. Slowly, she raised her right fist and, making sure to keep full control of her strength, rapped twice on the door.

"Mom, I said I don't want to talk," came the irritated reply of her sister.

Kara took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Alex," she said softly, voice breaking with emotion. "It's me."

Several seconds passed with no answering reply and Kara wrung her hands anxiously. _Did she hear me? Does she just not want to talk to me?_ She opened her mouth to speak again, but Alex beat her to it.

"Hi Kara," Alex's muffled voice came from behind the locked door.

Her mind went blank and she realized that she had not expected Alex to answer at all. She fumbled around, searching for something to say but in the end, she couldn't find anything. "Hi," she replied awkwardly, before looking down at her feet in embarrassment.

Once again, there was no answering reply so Kara gathered her courage and looked back up at the door.

"May I come in?" she asked hesitantly. She desperately wanted to see her sister and to make sure that Alex had suffered no permanent damage but she also knew that it had to be a choice that Alex made as well.

"Um...I don't think that's a good idea right now," Alex's voice responded.

There was a hint of wariness to Alex's response that increased Kara's feeling of hopelessness. She knew that what happened had changed something between the two of them, possibly irreversibly, but she knew that she needed to try to salvage their relationship, if only for her sanity. The mere thought of living without her adoptive sister brought tears to her eyes but she stubbornly pushed them back. _There's no time for crying until all is well_ , she told herself firmly.

"Please, Alex," Kara pleaded desperately, leaning her head against the door. "I want to talk to you about it and I think it would do us both good if we-"

"I said no!"

Kara stumbled backwards, shocked at the intensity of Alex's shout which was accompanied by a loud bang on the door, presumably from Alex's fist. Never before had she experienced this side of Alex and it scared her. She stayed quiet, waiting for a response from her sister, but there was none.

Cautiously, Kara lowered her lead-lined glasses and peered into the room with her X-ray vision. Alex had moved back to the bed, slightly doubled over. Her left hand was cradling her right, which had a liquid dripping-

"Alex, you're bleeding!" Kara cried in distress as she shouldered the door open, breaking the lock off. Immediately, she angled straight for her sister's position at the side of the bed.

The older girl let out a shriek of fear and rolled to the other side of the bed, left hand raised towards the Kryptonian. "No!" she cried, tears streaking down her face. "Don't come closer. Please…"

The sheer terror in the brunette's voice froze Kara mid-step. A handful of emotions crossed her mind, from shock to confusion, until she finally came to her realization. _She's afraid of me,_ she thought to herself, devastated. _My own sister..._

Tears sprung to her eyes and Kara found herself unable to move as she fought a losing battle against her own emotions. Alex still refused to look at her from her position sitting on the bed and it was then that the floodgates opened. One tear rolled down, then another, and Kara sank to her knees on the ground biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut.

_She'll never love me again_ , she thought as she cried softly just meters away from her beloved sister. _I've screwed it all up and she'll never forgive me._ Though it had only been a few months, she couldn't imagine a life without her Alex at her side The thought of it only brought more tears and she clenched her fists, grinding them into the ground.

Kara stayed rooted to that spot, her soft sobs mixing with those of her sister until she could no longer tell the difference between the two. Although Eliza had forgiven her, the only forgiveness that she truly needed was Alex's but she knew it would never come. _My life is over_ , she cried to herself. _There's nothing I can salvage…_

She didn't know how long she stayed in the room kneeling on the floor. She didn't know where Eliza was. She only knew that the bond between her and Alex, still barely emerging, was over.

Two arms closed around her as a warm body gently wrapped around her and a warm and wet face pressed next to hers. Kara knew immediately who it was and she clutched the other body tightly to her own, afraid that what she was feeling was simply a trick.

But it was no such thing. The feel of Alex's warm body, the smell of her hair, and the tightness of her arms were all real to Kara. She knew in a split second, as the two of them cradled each other, that all was forgiven. Suddenly, her cries were those of regret for what once was and relief for what was to come.

Neither of them spoke, but neither of them needed to. They knew without spoken words that their bond remained unbroken and would continue to grow. They knew they would get past this. Most of all, they knew that they would have each other. _Love bonds us all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -End-
> 
> Special thank you to my wonderful beta reader, MarvelDC31, for waiting patiently for me to finish this. You always do such great work in helping me edit. And also a big thank you to all of the readers who have stood by this even though I couldn't finish this in a sorta-timely fashion. You all make writing so much more enjoyable for me.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued...
> 
> Special thank you to my wonderful beta readers MarvelDC31, Mama Wolf Pack, and Akiatta. You helped make me a better writer and to make this fic as best as it possibly could be.


End file.
